Google search changes will push SEO firms and social media marketers closer Googles Panda, Penguin and Hummingbird search algorithms affect around 90% of online searches, according to Search Engine Watch. These algorithms strip out bad searches – sites stuffed with keywords, duplicated content and manipulated hyperlinks – and rightly so; the onus for higher search rankings has consequently been placed on the quality, originality and relevance of online content. So must our understanding of search engine optimisation (SEO) fundamentally change in light of this? Yes, SEO is dead (technically) in the way we used to be able to build links, says Matt Wilkinson, account director at Pinnacle Marketing Communications. Now we are focused more heavily on content marketing. Wilkinson, whose business employs former journalists, is adamant that businesses still need SEO professionals. But he also admits that SEO managers must change to be more creative and know how and where to share this content. He adds: The basics of optimisation may seem simple, but implementing it isnt. While Google does not comment on how it measures engagement on websites, it is believed that search rankings are now biased towards the context of content; if its written by a reputable journalist or blogger then it ranks higher. SEO experts believe Googles new algorithms also consider users engagement with the content, such as the time people spend on a website and its organic links, rather than paid-for content. While a recent Econsultancy study found that 88% of the 2,500 firms surveyed now integrate SEO with content marketing, and 74% integrate SEO efforts with social media marketing, some marketers are sceptical about the evolved role of SEO firms. Dane Cobain, social media specialist at Buckinghamshire-based FST the Group, says: Social media requires a human touch, something that a lot of SEO professionals arent equipped to deal with. SEO has always been tied to the performance of metrics, but you cant carry out a social media campaign if you look at people as numbers instead of individuals. As expected, SEO agencies that focused on link manipulation through black hat techniques and keyword-focused methods of SEO are going out of business. However, those with a focus on content marketing are thriving. But what does this mean for brands existing relationships with their PR, social media and digital marketing teams, whose remit digital content has historically been? Tim Grice, head of search at Branded3, agrees that the boundaries are blurring between the roles of PR, social media, SEO and digital marketing. There are some people in PR that feel like SEO managers are stepping on their toes, he says. To create brand value, you need good, creative content, from all sides, and you need to be technically sound in implementing it. Its a collaborative game. An SEO team alone cannot offer everything needed for great content marketing and this is one significant driver for increased collaboration across business roles that previously operated in distinctive silos. Consequentially, some brands are taking this to the next level, creating their own digital newsrooms for real-time marketing strategies.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:30:20 +0000
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